Plate-clamping means for rotary cylinders.



H. F. BECHMAN. P LATE CLAMPING MEANS FOR ROTARY CYLINDERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3' 1915.

Patented Aug. 13, 2 SHEETS SHEET ETERS cu, Pncmunm. wAsmu H. F. BECHMAN. PLATE CLAMPING MEANS FOR ROTARY CYLINDERS, APPLICATION FILED MAY 3. 1915.

1,275,643. Patented Aw. 13, 1918.

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" adjusting ,the'several plate clamps that en- Ta all whom z't may concern;

- UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE HENRY F. BECHMAN, or BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, AssiGNoR T0 DUPLEX PRINTING rimss COMPANY, or BATTLE ozannx, MICHIGAN, A conroRA'rIo or MICHIGAN.

Belitlmown that I, HENRY F. BEGHMAN, a citizen of the United States, residingat Battle Creek, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plate- Clamping Means for Rotary Cylinders; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clearyand exact description thereof, referdrawspeci cation. This invention relates to the means for fastening stereotype plates on plate cylinders of rotary printing presses, and its object is to provide a novel major device for gage the ends of the same plate, so that such clamps maybe operated simultaneously by the major'device and may-also be independently adjustedrelative to said device so that the clamps will properly engage the plate when operated by the major device. In this manner time is saved in fastening the plates -on, or removing them from, the plate cylind'ers.

" The invention consists-inthenovel major clamp operating means which will be clearly understood from the accompanying draw- 1 Kings and'the following description, and in thef'claims are summarized the essential features and combination of parts for which protection is desired.

In said drawings: 7 Figure 1 is an end elevation of one-half of an ordinaryrotary printing press plate-cyl- =inder showing'my novel clamping devices in elevation.

"Fig. 2' is a longitudinal sectional eleva- V 'tion' on line 2-2, Fig. l."

F g. 3 is a' view similar't'o FigIfQ 'showin a'slight modification. a

ffFig.'4 is a'viewfsimilar to Fig.2. showing "another 'slightlvariation.

The plate cylinder-'1 my tea ordinary well known rotary printing presses, and

the arm with a hub portion 6 passes a-bolt 5 which in the a-withja collar 5 yoke'with adjustingand jam nuts 5 5, which prevent longitudinal movement of the bolt 5 relativeto the yoke ing rotation of v the bolt.

construction, such as commonly used in the rnArE-cnmrnve Menus r03 ROTARY CYLINDERS.

der is providedwith the. usuallongitudinal grooves in which; are ordinary plate clamps 3 which are mounted upon bolts 4' that have square headed-ends as usual, so they can be turned by an ordinary wrench or clamp operating tool.;, ,7 1

In the present invention the bolts 4 are extended through" the arms of a yoke 6,

which as shown has three arms with each of which a bolt 4 is rotatably engaged, but

7, each bolt is confined against longitudinal movement-relative to the yoke by suitable means, a collar 4 being shown on the bolt outside the yoke, and jam and lock nuts 4", 4 screwed on thebolt inside the yoke 6.

The yoke;6 is provided atfthe junctionv of through which form shown in Fig. 2, is exteriorly threaded and tapped into 7 Ya correspondingly.,threaded. socket 1 in the end ofthe cylinder, and this .bolt 5 is provided at the outer side of the yoke and at the inner side of the without prevent- The bolt has a squared outer end 5 which may be engaged by. the usual wrench or, tool to turn the bolt.

.1 The bolt 5 is arranged at about the hub or center of pressure upon the yoke, so that all :the clamps will have appractically equal pressure exerted thereon and'the yoke will not yield unequallyunder strains, the clamping bolt 5 beingnearer the axis of the cylinder than any: of theclamp bolts 4. By turning the bolt 5 the yoke 6 will, be moved toward'or from the adjacentend of the cylinder 1' andfwillw correspondingly simultaneously moved inward or outward. Each clamp 3 may: be adjusted independentlyof the: yoke byturning therelated bolt '4, and sai'd'bolt' can be locked when adjusted by tightening the nuts 454. Each clamp 3 'when afdjusted to proper plate engaging po-v move the several bolts .4 and clamps. 3 inward or outward; and thus by manipulating one 'bolt 5-all athebolts 4 attached to said 'yoke and-the-clamps 3 011 saidbolts 4 can be operation the to move the Then by turning the bolt 5 the yoke 6 can be moved to or from the end of the cylinder and all the connected clamps will be simultaneously forced inward against the plate; or-can be simultaneously withdrawn to release the plate. Thus plates can be fastened upon or removed from the cylinder by merely adjusting the yoke, which is a great saving of time as compared with independently operating or manipulating each of the clamp bolts.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3 instead of tapping bolt 5 directly into the cylinder this bolt is tapped into an internally threaded sleeve 7 which can be pressed into a suitable socket 1 in the cylinder. The yoke 6 may be slidably mounted upon the outer end of this sleeve and the bolt 5 may have a collar 5 arranged within. the bore in the yoke and adapted to engage a flange 6 at the outer end of this bore, and locking and jam nuts 5 are screwed on the end of the bolt 5 outside of the yoke, so that the bolt5 is free to turn within the yoke but the yoke is caused to followthe endwise movements of the bolt.

In Fig. l, in place of the bolt 5, I show a a sleeve bolt 8 which is externally threaded to engage an internal thread within the bore of the yoke, to engage the threaded outer end of a stud 9 which is forced into the socket 1 in the cylinder. The threads onthis sleeve bolt 8 are so formed that when the sleeve is turned so as to move iton stud 9 its outer threads also cause an. additional and accelerated movement of the yoke in the same direction; thus reducing the number. of rotations required to move the yoke a given distance in either direction. In thi construction when the bolt 8 is turned it'is also moved endwise by reason yoke is moved with the sleeve bolt.

greatest pressure on the yoke and nearer the axis of the cylinder than any, of the individualclamps already in use, and does not require any material change in the structure of said cylinders, and, in each instance it willbe seen that while theplate clamps are independently adjustable, they from theend of the cylries ofv plate clamps,

and it is also-internally threaded of the threads 8 and 8 and the In each construction shown the major;

engaging.

The inventlon is readily applicable to orh 7 H may be ad usted independently of the;yoke,

dinary plate cylinders and a threaded member extending axially parallel with the cylinder and rotatablyconnected with said yoke at the junction'of the arms thereof andnearer the axis of the cylinder than any of the clamps; there being a threaded engagement betweenthecylinder and the member, whereby by turning said threaded member the yoke maybe adjusted to or from the, end of the cylinder to simultaneously shift the clamps.

2. Incombination with a cylinder, 2. seandscrews for independently adjusting said. clamps; of a yoke at one end ofthe cylinder having a plurality of outwardly projecting radiatingarms; a member lying axially parallel withsaid cylinder and rotatably engaged with said yoke at. the junction of said arms, and nearer the axis of the cylinder than any of the clamps; there being a threaded engagement between the cylinder and said member whereby upon rotating said member the yokeis' movedto or from the end of the cylinder; said clamp screws being rotatably engaged with the yoke arms at; points vfarther removed fromwhereby upon rotating saidbolt theyyoke is movedtoor from thecylinder; ,with;a

series of plate clamps; bolts for indepefnd ently adjusting saidclamps, said bolts being rotatably engaged with said yoke and movable therewith to shift. the clamps simultaneously; means for locking the clamp 'lbolts relatively to the yokewhen the. clamps are properly adjusted; and means for locking each clamp on its bolt.

4. In combination a plate cylinder, a stud attached to its end, a rotatable bolt'having a threaded engagement. with/said stud, a yokerotatably engaged withsaid bolt so as to be moved thereby. to or, from the cylinder, a set of plate clamps, and independently rotatable bolts engaged with said yoke-and the clamps; whereby said clamps I table-bola,

5. In combination "witha plate cylinder having a threaded member at its end; plate clamps, and plate clamp adjusting bolts; of a yoke connected with the clamp adjusting bolts, and a sleeve bolt having a threaded 5 engagement with said yoke and having an internally threaded portion engaging the threaded member attached to the cylinder.

of two witnesses.

Witnesses Copies of this pltent be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. G."

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I affix my signature in presence HENRY F. BECHMAN.

I'IENRY K. STONE, Cmnms A. Gmmns.

Commissioner of Patents, 

